Synthesis and Characterization of Fe_2O_3/TiO_2/SiO_2 and Fe_2O_3/TiO_2/Activated Carbon Nanocomposite Photocatalysts for Dye Removal

摘要

Magnetic nanocomposite photocatalyst is an alternative approach for easy separation of catalyst from the treated water by magnetic force. This paper will discuss the performance of dye degradation using two different supported layers; silica and activated carbon that shield between magnetic iron oxide (Fe_2O_3) and Titanium dioxide (TiO_2) photocatalyst. Photocatalytic activity is measured using methylene blue (MB) as indicator. The magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized using an evaporation indused self-assembly (EISA) approach and wet synthesis method. The photocatalyst was then characterized using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and the effect of dye degradation was characterized using Ultra Violet-Visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy. The result showed that activated carbon is a better supporter compared to the silica.